Ask Arjun Bijlani about his bond with his younger brother and he replies: “Everyone loves being shown affection and I am very protective about my brother. [But] he is very sorted and knows I am always there for him.”
Also Read: Arjun Bijlani recovers ‘in his corner’ after emergency appendicitis surgery. See post
The festival holds immense value for both Bijlani brothers, as it gives them the chance to cherish each other and their cousin, Rohini.
Calling it a “good vibe every year”, Arjun says, “Raksha Bandhan is so special because we were raised with family values and love; we were brought up in Mumbai, so our cousins were always around. When I was a child, I used to miss having a sister, but as I grew up, I realised our cousin sister is like a sibling to us.”
For Niranjan, one special memory is playing a quintessential rakhi song for Rohini. “I loved the song Phoolo ka Taro Ka (Hare Rama Hare Krishna; 1971). Despite not having a sister, we used to play this every year for our cousin sister,” he shares.
{{/usCountry}}For Niranjan, one special memory is playing a quintessential rakhi song for Rohini. “I loved the song Phoolo ka Taro Ka (Hare Rama Hare Krishna; 1971). Despite not having a sister, we used to play this every year for our cousin sister,” he shares.
{{/usCountry}}Both brothers have found happiness in celebrating the festival with their extended family and the same values have been inculcated in Arjun’s nine-year-old son, Ayaan.
“Ayaan has us never asked about not having a sister. Neha (Swami, wife) has inculcated family values in him, so like us, he also looks forward to meeting his cousin sisters. He has seen both Neha and I spending time with and valuing our families, so he has, by default, realised the value of family,” the 41-year-old ends.